Productivity

This is part 1 of a 5 part series on Productivity.

Normally here in the Data Driven Daily we discuss the work you do and how we can use data to improve it. But what about HOW you work? Can data make us more productive? Of course, data can do anything. [1]

Productivity is not about working more hours, it is about getting the most from you and your team during the hours you work. The more effective you are in execution, the more you will get done which will give your business a competitive advantage. If making good decisions is an advantage, having time for more good decisions is definitely an advantage!

While productivity might seem to be finite, tied to the number of hours in a day, it is actually a skill that you can improve over time with proper study and continuous practice. In fact, the study of productivity using data started back in the 1880s with a movement called Scientific Management (aka Taylorism after early evangelist Fred Taylor) which applied the scientific method to industrial processes. Today, the growth of behavioral economics, psychology and information sciences has given us a wealth of tools for quantifying and improving our productivity.

This week we’ll cover a wide variety of ways you can use data to be more productive, both as an individual and as a team.

Every team is different, so the things we cover this week will be general tools and techniques you will need to adapt to your work and business. Tomorrow we will get started by talking about measuring productivity, because if you can’t measure it then how can it improve?

[1] This is not true, but saying otherwise would go against the purpose of this newsletter.

Quote of the Day: “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney